Rent vs buy in Harlingen, TX
In Harlingen, Texas, the typical monthly rent is $1,157 and the typical home costs $197,004.
The difference is $813 over 7 years, so it’s a toss-up.
Today’s mortgage rate and 20% down are paired with Harlingen's typical rent and home value. The break-even point arrives in year 8.
Clearly labeled opinion with the math shown. These figures are estimates, not quotes. Adjust one figure and the stamp updates.
- Gap
- $813 after 7 years
- Point where costs match
- 8th year when owning catches up
- Full ownership cost
- $1,870 /mo year 1, against $1,157 rent
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For Harlingen's typical rent and home value, the stamp calculation uses those figures. Your rent, price and time period can change the result.
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Is renting or buying cheaper in Harlingen?
After 7 years, the two paths are no more than $813 apart, so small changes decide it. For the first 7 years, renting costs less. In year 8, owning catches up.
Renting. Ownership option. Net cost through each year.
Comparing average rent with mortgage payments in Harlingen
Rent and mortgage costs aren't the whole story. This shows every monthly expense in year 1 using Harlingen's typical price.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $1,157 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $1,074 | $947 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $240 | 1.46% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $117 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $164 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $1,595 | $127 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $320 | Annual earnings on the cash at 8.3% |
| Buying costs, spread out | $82 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $1,870 | Subtract the equity part from cash out, then add both lines above. |
The Harlingen verdict in numbers
- Typical home value, from Zillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $197,004
- Typical rent, from Zillow ZORI, September 2026
- $1,157 /mo
- A 20% down payment avoids private mortgage insurance, but the engine leaves it out
- 20%
- Mortgage rate from Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (FRED MORTGAGE30US)
- 7.24%
- Growth in home pricesFHFA house price index for Texas, 1995 to 2025
- 4.7% yearly
- Rent growthYearly growth in CPI rent of primary residence, 2006 to 2026
- 3.5% yearly
- Savings return60% S&P 500 with dividends, combined with 40% 10-year Treasuries and rebalanced yearly, 1928 to 2025
- 8.3% yearly
- Property tax from Census ACS 2020-2024, Harlingen
- 1.46%, based on value
- Home insurance data: Census ACS 2020-2024, Harlingen
- $117 a month
- Upkeep costsFannie Mae, at the low end of 1% to 4%
- Each year, 1% of value
- Purchase costs Freddie Mac, midpoint of 2% to 5%
- 3.5% of the price
- Selling costs include the agent commission plus closing costs
- 6% of the price
What would flip the result in Harlingen?
With everything else unchanged, each line shows where Harlingen's 7-year verdict flips.
When renting wins
- Annual home price growth remains under 4.8%; for this calculation, 4.7%, Texas's long-run rate, is used.
- The mortgage rate remains higher than 7.17%.
- For a home like this, monthly rent is less than $1,170 (typical here: $1,157).
- Before year 8, you move.
When buying wins
- Home prices grow at a yearly rate faster than 4.8%.
- This condition requires locking in a rate below 7.17%. Today's 7.24% doesn't meet it.
- For you, renting the same home would cost more than $1,170 a month.
- You remain for 8 years or longer.
Harlingen compared with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Harlingen | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $197,004 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $1,157 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 14.2 (#675 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 4.5% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 4.9% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 1.46% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 44% | 42% |
Data come from Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
More cities in Texas
- Toss-up. Houston, TX: renting leads by $2k.
- Rent. San Antonio, TX: renting leads by $10k.
- Rent. Dallas, TX. renting is ahead by $20k.
- Rent. Fort Worth, TX. renting is ahead by $17k.
- Rent. Austin, TX. renting is ahead by $111k.
- Toss-up. El Paso, TX. Buyers are ahead by $2k.
- Rent. Arlington, TX. Renting leads by $34k.
- Buy. Corpus Christi, TX. buying is ahead by $4k.
- Rent. Plano, TX. renting is ahead by $105k.
- Toss-up. Lubbock, TX. It's a toss-up, and buying comes out ahead by $2k.
- Rent. Laredo, TX. Renting comes out ahead by $20k.
- Rent. Irving, TX. Renting comes out ahead by $36k.